Sewing machine



W. H. STEDMAN.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATIQN FILED MAY 17. |919.

1,418,682. PatentedJune A6, l1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTDR: glu 7V BY -Ml HIS ATTURNEYS- w. HA. STEDMAN. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIT, 191.9, I

I 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/5 t K 5/ 93 60 I 76 79 53 @Je -28 g His. ATTI:

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SEWING MACHINE. APPLLCATION FILED MAY 17. l9l9.

--PatendJune 6, 1922.

,TTU NEYS- vBYv ' l W. 'H.1 STEDMAN.

SEWING MACHINE.

v l APPucATIoN man MAY 11. 191.9'. 1,418,682. ,PatentedJune 6, 1922'.-

4 SHEETS- SHEET 4.

l nu QQ 80 tinir--ars WILLIAM. H. STEDMAN, GF MANSFIELD, YCONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE MERROW MACHINE NECTICUT.

intense. p i

yCOMLPJLNY,,OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F CON'- SEWING MACHINE.

' Application filed May 17, 1919. Serial No. 297,853.

flo-all whom 'it may concern: Y

Be it known that l, YVILLIAM H. STEDMAN, a citizen ot the United Stateslresiding in the town ot Manslield, county otTolland, State of Connecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Sewing Machines; and l do declare the following to be a fulh-clear, and exact description ot the same, reference being yhad to the accompanying drawings, torming a part ot this specilication, and to the characters ot reference marked thereon. i y -Y n rlhis invention relates tosewing machines, and especially embraces Vvarious improvements applicable, asillustrated in the drawings. to a trimming and overseaming machine ot the well known Meri-ow high speed type, distinguishing characteristics of which have heretofore been described at length as in United States Patent tfhttl. dated July 111th, 1903. i

In such a machine, supporting, teeding and trimming elements engage the work in close proximity to each other. and to the needle and acooperating looper or loopers. The needle. loopers, cutter blades, and teelt ing` elements, are all preferably associated with suitable carriers in a. manner to permit of their adjustment andv replacement.. Accessibility of the means employed 'tor thus associating with their respective carricrstlie elements mentioned, is tor obvious reasons, ot prime importance, and to fulfill this dcsideratum the present invention consists in a novel arrangement of mechanism including a presser-toot .which is movable 'from its normal position to one ol" non-interference with manipulation involved in the setting ot various parts and also threading of the needle.

The invention Further consists in the pro? vision tor elements ot the trimming mechanism and presser-toot of a common support in `combination with a convenient and efficient arrangement ot separate devices for respectively controlling the trinnning` mechanism and presser-foot.

Other new features incidental to the development ot structural combinations Jtor ettectingthe advantages mentioned are included in the present invention which, in connection with the accompanying drawings toi-ming a part of this specification. will now be described in detail.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view ot a trimming and overseaming machine embodying my invention, the presser-'toot being illustrated as moved away from its normal position. Fig. 2 isa front elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is an end elevation as viewed from the left in Fig. Q. Fig. l is a rear elevation.' Fig. 5 is a plan view partly in section showing` the support for the presser-toot, upper cutter carrienand other associated parts. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a shaft engaging sleeve. Fig, 7 is a detail view ot a modification of the sleeve shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a lview of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5. as seen from the right. Figs. 9 and 10 are views showing the presser-toot support in section and other details of the presser-toot mechanism partly in section and partly in elevatioin-and Fig. 11 is a detail view in section showing the pivotal relation between the presser-toot and its shank. y

Similar characters ot reference designate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the general characteristics ot one type of machine in which my invention may be conveniently embodied may be brieiy described as fol lows :mThe overedge stitch forming implements shown, comprise the curved eye pointed needle 3, lower looper 4, and upper looper 5. The needle is secured in a. carrier 6. pivotally mounted on a stud 7, aboutwhich the carrier is oscillated through the medium of a link 8, which connects said carrier with an eccentric stud 9, projecting 'trom the head 10, ot a shaft 11, which is supported by the machinetrame 12. The curved path followed by the needle extends above and belowv a needle plate 13. The lower looper and upper looper cooperate with the needle respectively on opposite sides ot the needle plate. and with each other below the plane oit the needle plate, to 'torm overedge stitches in a manner Vwell known to those familiar with the sewing art,

suitable movements ot these implements befor inspection and adjustment.

chine frame at 14, where it is provided with a combined handwheel and driving pulley 15.

rlhe needle plate 13, is secured to a standard 17, which also serves to support the forward end of a work plate 18, which is further supported by a bracket 19, toward the rear of the machine, a pivotal connection 20, being provided between said bracket and work plate whereby the latter may be swung away from the needle plate and adjacent parts to render them more accessible Below the needle plate the standard 17, affords a convenient support for the holder of a cutter, involving construction hereinafter more fully described in connection with a trimming mechanism.

Feed mechanism in so far as it pertains to improvements herein to be set forth, includes a presser-foot 22, and feed dogs 23. Regarding the latter it will be sufficient for the present disclosure to state simply, that to them, suitable fabric` advancing movements may be imparted by mechanism indicated in a general way by 24. The presserfoot 22, in performing its function of holding the fabric to be stitched in contact with the feed dogs, partakes from them and from means to be described for effecting a yielding opposing pressure, a slight movementwhich is preferably substantially at right angles to the plane of the work engaging surface of the needle plate. To provide for such a movement of the presser-foot, that is, one that deviates but slightly from the vertical with respect to the needle plate, I employ a presser-foot carrier. indicated in a general way by 26, comprising an oscillatory member 27, and a presser-foot shank 28. The oscillatory member is associated with a shaft 29, journaled in bearings of a support 30. secured to the rear side of the machine frame. The axis of this shaft extends in a plane substantially coincident with the plane of the work engaging` surface of the needle plate, and inasmuch as the shaft is quite remote from the presser-foot, the slight arc of movement; of the latter about the shaft aXis will deviate but little from a t-angentthereto which is vertical to the needle plate, and it follows that the presser-foot movement is to all practical purposes a rectilinear one which is desirable. However, the presser-foot is also pivoted or hinged to its shank as indicated particularly in Fig. 11, so that in addition to its bodily movement about the center of movement of its oscillatory carrier, it is free to move angularly upon the stud 28, laterally extended from the presser-foot shank, which permits it to accommodate itself to variations in thickness of the fabric comprising the work.

It will be observed that the oscillatory member 27, of the presser-foot carrier, as shown in the drawings, is made up of two parts 32 and 33, this being desirable, although not essential, for convenience in manufacture. The part 32, is of yoke form and adapted to straddle the separated bearings 34 and 35, of the support 30. Thus while the shaft 29, extending through these bearings, supports the yoke 32, it is free to rock and move endwise therein for a purpose that will hereinafter appear. The part 33, of the presser-foot carrier is secured as by ascrew 36, to an offset termination 37, of an arm 38, upwardly extending from one end of the yoke 32, said termination having a tongue 39, mating a groove 40, in the part 33, to secure alignment of the connected parts. By virtue of this arrangement, the part 33, extends above and in the direction of the line of stitching, and when the presser-foot shank is aligned therewith` the presser-foot is positioned either in normal working relation to the feed dogs and needle plate, or in such lifted relation thereto as permits introduction or adjustment of work thereunder. With the presser-foot in this position, the needle and other implements adjacent the needle plate are somewhat obscured, as is common in sewing machines, and, to render them more conveniently accessible and exposed to View, provision is made whereby the presser-foot may be readily swung away from the needle plate. (see Fig. 1) and with equal facilityv returned and locked in normal relation. To permit of such movement, a simple expedient may involve a pivoted relation of the presser-foot shank 28, and oscillatory member 27. The part 33, of the last mentioned member is channeled at d1. to receive the shank 28, and also, said part 33, is provided with an opening 4t2, to receive a head 43, at the end of the shank. the head 43, being pivoted on the stud or pin 4.4. which is supported by ears or lugs 45, projecting from part 33. coextensively with the width of head 43. At its forward end the head 43, is slotted at 16, to receive the head 47, of a latch 48. which is pivoted at 49, between flanges 50, which project from one side of shank 28. i# spring 51, housed within a bore 52, in the head 43, bears against the head of latch 48, and causes it, when the shank and part 33, are in aligned relation, to engage a shoulder 54, of the part 33. formed at the forward edge of opening 42. thereby to securel)7 hold the parts in lsaid aligned relation. In this position, the tail 55, of latch 48, extends beyond the flanges 50, so that it may be conveniently depressed by an operator to disengage the latch, whereupon the shank 28, may be swung upon its pivot to move the presser-foot bodily away from the stitching andA trimming area. While in this position the i presser-foot may still function tohold the work during rethreading of the stitching implements or inspection or adjustment of mechanism in the vicinity of the stitching point. To reestablish the normal relation of the presser-foot, it is simply Aswung into position over the needle plate, the latch automatically springing into locking relation.

As previously intimated, means including a sprin are employed for moving the presser-foot toward the needle plate with a yieldingly effective pressure. This may be advantageously applied at the forward end of part or arm above which a suitable support may be extended without obstruction to convenient operation of the machine.

Such a support is provided in the bracket 60, secured to the end of the machine frame. A head 6l, on this bracket, is bored at 62, to receive the plunger 63, which has a slotted end 6ft, to enga e a rounded surface 65, on arm 33. The s otted form of the end of the plunger keeps .it from turning and maintains its pressure transmitting surface in proper relation to the surface 65. Furthermore the side walls of the slot afford supplemental support to resist lateral displacement of arm 33, due to'pressure to which it might be subjected to from hasty swinging of the presser-foot to and from its normal relation. A reduced shank 66, of plunger 63, is surrounded at its upper end by a vguiding sleeve in the form of a screw 67,

which is threaded into bore 62. A spring 68, surrounds'the plunger shank, bearing at one end against the shoulder 69, of the plunger and at the other end against screw 67. By adjusting said screw, pressure of spring 68 against the plunger may be obtained in any desired degree, and such adjustment may be held against unintentional alteration by the jamb nut 70. Idesire here to direct attention to the fact that the axis of movement of the plunger 68, is substantially at right angles to a radius extending from the axis of oscillation of the presserfoot carrier to the engaging surfaces of the plunger and said carrier. An advantage eX- ists'in this relation, in that the slight Varc of movement of the surface of the carrier engaged by the plunger is substantially tangent to the axis of movement of the plunger so that slippage between the engaging'elements is inconsequentialA with respect to producing undesirable friction or wearin of the surfaces.

Means for lifting the presser-foot forthe purpose of adjusting or introducing the work thereunder, include a lever 75, pivotally mounted at 76, between lugs 7T, of the previously mentioned support 30.y A cam surface 7 9, on lever 7 5 is adapted to engage a roll 80, mounted on the pin 81, between lugs 82, ofthe yoke 32. To lift the presserfoot, lever 75,y is moved conveniently by association with such mechanism as' has hand, or by knee or foot operated mechanism, (not shown) to engageits cam surface with roll 80, thereby swinging the presser-foot carrier about its axis against the pressure of spring'68, and moving the presser-foot away from its normal proximity to the needle plate. To prevent undue raising of the presser-foot, a stop screw 84, is threaded into support 30, to engage yoke 32, below roll 60. A suitable adjustment of the screw may/bey secured against displacement by jamb nut S5. Then lever '75 is released to permit lowering of the presser-foot underinfluence of spring 68, it is moved to the position shown in F ig. 9, by a plunger 88, actuated by the spring 89, the plunger being guided by a bore 90, in the machine frame. The thrust of the spring 89, is resisted by contact with the machine frame and is exerted against the plunger head 91, which enters a retaining recess 92, in lever 7 5, the latter beino' normally held by action of the spring so that an adjustable stop 93, carried by the lever engages a cooperating stop element as the pin 94. In this position of the lever its cam portion is clear of roll 80, and the presser-foot together with associated parts is free to function properly in `the normal action of the feeding mechanism.

Reference is now again made to the bracket 60, for the purpose of describing the association therewith of certain thread guides, comprising elements of take-up mechanism which includes the take-up arm 100, secured to and movable with the needle carrier actuating link 8. This arm 100, at its outer end is extended into the plane of movement of the needle, and provided with a thread yreceiving eye 101.` Directly above the path traversed by the thread engaging portion of the take-up arm, a thread guiding tube 102, is ,mountedv in bracket 60, and below said path athread guide 108, extends from the free end of arm 104, said arm being secured in a guideway 105,0f bracket 60,by a screw 106, passed through an elongated slot 107, whereby means is providedfor adjustment of the thread guide to regulate the take-up action. Due to this arrangement which permits of thread eye 101, of the take-up arm, thread guide 102, and thread guide 108, being substantially aligned, (see F ig. 9) threading of the machine is considerably facilitated, in that a threading wire may be simultaneously passed through the three take-up elements.

Trimming Vmechanism particularly well adapted in thetype of'machine shown for already been described,includes the normally stationary cutter 110, and4 themovabler cutter 111, which forrconvenience will hereinafter be referred to respectively as the lower iso positioned beneath `the work and the latter operable from above the work which is introduced horizontally into the machine. The lower cutter is clamped in a slide 112, sustained inthe standard 1T, below the needle plate. A spring 113, housed within the slide, bears at one end against an abutment plate 114, and exerts its thrust againstithe slide, tending constantly to move it toward the right as seen in Fig. 5, so that the lower cutter, for a purpose that will presently appear is yieldingly pressed against the uppercutter, the latter being operable in a cutting plane extending transversely to the'plane. of the work. rI`he upper cutter is held in a carrier 11G, secured to shaft 29, between the aforementioned bearings 34 and 35. lThese bearings are connected by a web 117, which forms a housing for the hub of carrier 116. Opposite this housing the machine frame is provided with an opening 118, toclear the carrier adjacent the hub thereof, the means of securing the carrier to the shaft 29, being shown as a set screw 119, threaded into the carrier hub. This set screw is-made accessible from the rear of the machine by providing the openings 120 and `121, respectively in web 11T, and the yoke 32.. Oscillatory motion is imparted to the upper cutter carrier by an eccentric 122, fixed to the shaft 11, said eccentric being surrounded by the rectangular block 124, engaged by the yoke 125, of said carrier. i

It is desirable that the trimming cutters be shiftable laterally to vary the line of trimming with respect to the line of sewing. The arrangement herein provided for effecting. an adjustment of this character involves shifting of the upper cutter carrier shaft 29, in the direction of its longitudinal axis. The upper cutter carrier being fixed -to the shaft moves with it, and its endwise adjustment locatesthe upper cutter accordingly, with respect to the line of stitching while the lower cutter by virtue of its spring` controlled movement toward the upper cutter, automatically adjusts itself to any cutting plane in which the latter may be located. Means for adjusting shaft 29 in the direction of its length, will now be described.

In alignment with bearings 34 and 35, a third bearing 130, is provided on support 30, to receive the sleeve 131. Near one end, there is formed in this sleeve an inclined slot 132, to receive the end of a screw 133, threaded into the support 30. At its other end a slightly reduced part of the sleeve extends beyond the bearing and has keyed thereto an actuating lever 134, by means of which the sleeve may be rocked about its longitudinal axis, and when it is so rocked the sleeve moves in the direction of said axis by Virtue of engagement of the fixed pin or screw 133 with the inclined slot 132. The shaft 29, is associated with the sleeve 131 in such 4a manner that it is longitudinally immovable relatively to thesleeve but free to turn therein, therefore when the sleeve is rocked the shaft is moved endwise and the trimming-cutters are adjusted accordingly. The relation set forth between the shaft and the sleeve is secured by providing a head 135, on the shaft to engage a shoulder 136, `formed by counter-bore 13T, into which is threaded the screw 138. YBy adjusting the screw the head of theshaft may be confinedbetween the end of the screw and the shoulder with just sufficient clearance to permit the shaft to turn freely. The screw when thus suitably adjusted may be held against displacement by the jamb nut 139. This nut may also serveto retain the lever 134, `against endwise movement along the sleeve.

The construction involved in the described association of shaft 29 and sleeve 131, simplies assemblage of the parts and provides for convenient adjustment to take up wear which would permit lost motion in the action of the cutter shifting mechanism. Furthermore the arrangement permits of substitution for sleeve 131, of sleeve 140, such as shown in Fig. 7, the idea being to provide two simple interchangeable parts capable of association with the trimming mechanism to render it either adjustable cr non-adjustable with respect to the width of trimming effected thereby. For a class of work which requires no variation in the width of trimming,a machine may preferably be employed equipt with the nonmovable sleeve 140. In order to hold a sleevey of this type fixed in place, it is simply provided with a hole 141, to receive and t the endof screw `133. No lever is necessary at the outer end of this sleeve which is instead provided with a knurled head 142. In other respects the sleeve 139 is the same as sleeve 131. l

In connection with trimming mechanism arranged for adjustment of the cutters to `vary the width of trimming it is convenient to have stop means by which to repeatedly establish various adjustments. The range of movement of the actuating lever 134 in establishing such adjustment of the trimming lcutters iscf sufhcient extent Vto render the hub of this lever a suitable support for certainistop elements asthe pins 143 and 144, which are adapted to engage a fixed stop element 145, secured to support 3() by a screw 146. The pins 143 and 144 are fixed in the lever hub to respectively engage stop 145 when the trimming cutters are at the opposite extremes of their adjustment. Intermediate adjustments of the cutters may be determined by the position of a movable stop pin 147, which may be inserted in any one `of the holes 148. When stop pin 147 is not in one of the. holes where it functions as a stop, it may be kept conveniently at hand by inserting it in hole 149. Y

In Fig 8, lever 131i is shown in position to engage stop 141-1. with stop 1&5, such relation serv-ing through describedr parts to place the cutters at the limit of their adjustment toward the line of stitching. In order to hold `the cutters in this position against an opposing pressure of the spring associated with the lower cutter carrier, the lever 13ais provided with the spring actuated detent 150, operable against the stop shoulder 151, on the support 30. This arrangement insures ease and smoothness of operation in the actuating lever 134i, as Well as tok prevent too free an action thereof when in intermediate positions.

Thile I have specifically shown and described one convenient form of embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that various changes as to form, construction and arrangement of parts, may be made Without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined iby the following claims.

Having thus described my inventioiuwhat l claim is,-

1. In a sewing machine, a presser-foot supporting and operating mechanism comprisingha carrier pivotally Amounted on a horizontal axisto oscillate in avertical plane for eii'ecting engagement and disengagement of thepresser-foot withA the 'Work and to hold the vvork in engagement with the feeding dog, a forwardly projecting'presser-foot shank connected Withsa-id carrier by a hinge connection,v having itsV axissubstantially at right. anglesto the axis about which the carrier oscillates, and releasable means for locking said shank against pivotal movement on its hingeconnection.

2. In a sewing machine, a Work plate,-a presser-foot, a carrier for the presser-foot mounted. to permit the presser-foot to move toward and from the Work plate about an axis extending substantially in parallelism to the Work engaging surface of the Work plate, anda pivotal connection between normally alined members of the carrierhaving its axis substantially at right angles to the Work engaging surface of the Work plate.

. 8, In a sevving machine, a work plate, a presser-tocaba carrier mounted to move toward and from the Work plate about an axis extending substantially in parallelism to the Work engaging surface of the Work plate, a presser-foot shank lpivotally lconnected to the carrier about an axis extending substantially at right angles tothe Work engaging survface ofthe-Workplata and a releasable means forlockingthe shank against movement on its pivotalconnection. A l .4. .In a Vsewing machine, a Work plate, a presser-foot, a support, a l carrier extending above and. in substantial parallelism With the; line. ofl stitching, one end ofthe carrierv being offset and depended for pivotal association With the support about an axis extending substantially in the plane of the Work engaging surface of the Work plate, and a shank for the presser-foot normally aligned with the arm and pivoted thereto about an axis extending' substantially at right angles to the work engaging surface of the Work plate.

Presser-foot mechanism including in combination, a presser-foot, an arm adapted at one end for pivotal support and having a channel extended for a part of its length from the opposite end, a shank associated with the presser-foot, pivoted to the arm and adapted to be supported by `Walls of the channel, and supplemental supporting means cooperating with the arm adjacent to its channeled portion.

6. In a serving machine, in combination `with feed mechanism including a Work plate and a presser-foot, a support, an oscillatory member pivoted at one end to the support and having an arm substantially parallel with and extending above the line of stitching, supplemental supporting means cooperating with the arm remote from its axis of movement, and a shank for the presserfoot pivotally associated With said arm intermediateV its axis of movement and its supplemental supporting means.

7. In a sewing machine, a Work plate, a presser-foot, a support, a presser-foot carrier extending above and lin substantial parallelism with the line of stitching, one end of the carrier being offset-and depended for pivotal association With the support about an axis extending substantiallyin the plane of the Work engaging surface of the Work plate, and means for applying a yielding pressure to the `'carrier to move the presser-foot toward the Work plate, said means including a contact element affording lateral support for the carrier and engaging the latter substantially at apoint whichupon movement of the carrier describes an arc to which rthe line of movement of the contact element is tangent. V f f K 8. In a sewing machine, a Work plate, a presser-foot, supporting and operating mechanism including a carrier pivotally mounted for movement to eiect cooperation of the presser-foot with the Work plate toV hold the ivork, a presser-foot, shank connected with ther carrierby a pivotal connection having its axis substantially at right angles tothe Work engaging surface of the Work plate, a plunger slotted to engage the carrier and supported in close proximity thereto, and a spring for yieldinglyL actuating the plunger to move `the presser-foot to- WardV the Work plate.V` v

9. In a servingl machine, in combinatioma Work plate, a presser-foot, ai support, a carrier extending above and` in substantial parallelism with the line of stitching, one end of the carrier being offset and depended for pivotal association with the support about an axis extending substantially in the plane of the work engaging surface of the work plate, and a shank for the presser-toot normally aligned with the arm and pivoted thereto about an axis whereby the pressertoot may be swung bodily away Jfrom its normal position to another position where it may function to hold the work while giv` ing access to mechanism in the vicinity of the stitching point.

10. In a sewing machine, in combination, a work plate, a support, an oscillatory member associated with the support for movement about an axis extending substantially in the plane of the work engaging surface of the work plate, a presser-toot shank pivotally associated with the oscillatory member for movement about an axis whereby it may be swung` from its normal position without changing its normal inclination to said plane of the work plate, and a presser-foot pivotally associated with the shank for movement about an axis extending` in parallelism to the axis of the oscillatory member.

11. Presser-foot mechanism including in combination, a presser foot, an arm adapted one end for pivotal support and having a channel at its opposite end, a` shank for the presser-foot itted to the channel in the arm, a pivotal connection between the shank and the arm, and a spring actuated latch lever pivotally associated with the shank and operable through movement of the shank to automatically engage a shoulder on the arm to positively lock the shank and arm in normal relation.

12. Presser-foot mechanism including in combination, a presser-foot, an arm adapted at one end `for pivotal support and having a channel at its opposite end, a shank for the presser-foot fitted to the channel in the arm, a pivotal connection between the shank and the arm, a latch lever pivotally associated with the shank` one end of the lever being engageable with a shoulder upon the arm to lock the shank in normal relation to the arm, the other end of the lever being depressible to release the locking engagement, and a spring for actuating the latch.

13. Presser-foot mechanism including in combination, a presser-foot, an arm adapted at one endfor pivotal support, and having a channel at its opposite end, a shank for the presser-foot fitted to the channel in the arm and terminating in a head formed to occupy a recess laterally extended from the channel, a pivotal connection between the head and the arm, a latch lever pivotally held in a slot in the shank, one end of the lever being engageable with a shoulder formed by. the recess to lock the shank in normal relation to the arm, the other end of the lever being stitchin 0' depressible to release the locking engagement, and a spring housed within the head of the shank for actuating the latch.

1st. ln a sewing machine, in combination with teed mechanism including a needle plate and a presser-toot, a support, an oscillatory member pivoted at one end of the support and having an arm substantially parallel with and extending above the line of g, a shank for the presser-foot pivotally associated with said: arm to permit bodily movement ot' the ,presser-toot about an axis extending transversely to the work engaging surface of the needle plate, means for laterally supporting the arm remote from its axis of movement, and means for yieldingly actuating the oscillatory member to move the presser-foot toward the needle plate.

15. In a sewing machine, in combination with feed mechanism including a needle plate and a presser-foot, a support, an oscillatory member pivoted at one end'to the support and having an arm substantially parallel with and extending above the line of stitching, a shank for the presser-foot pivotally associated with said arm to permit bodily movement of the presser-foot about an axis extending transversely to the work engaging surface of the needle plate, a. plunger slotted to engage the arm and supported in close proximity thereto,`and means for yieldingly actuating the plunger to move the presser-"foot toward the needle plate.

16. In a sewing machine, `in combination with feed mechanism including a needle plate and a presser-foot, a support, an oscillatory member pivoted at one end to the support and having an arm substantially parallel with and extending above the line ot stitching, a plunger slotted to engage the arm and supported in close vproximity thereto, a shank `for the presser-foot pivotally associated with and supported by said arm intermediate its axis of movement and the part engaged by the plunger, and means for yieldingly actuating the plunger to move the presser-foot toward the needle plate.

17. The combination with stitching mechanism including a. needle carrier and actuating elements therefor operably supported on one side of the line of stitching, of a presser-foot, a needle or work plate, a carrier for the presser-toot pivotally supported on the needle carrier side of the line of stitching and including an arm extending in the direction of the line of stitching on the opposite si'de thereof from the needle carrier, a bracket extending above theline of stitching.` means supported by the bracket 'for applying a yielding pressure aga-inst the arm to move the presser-foot toward the needle orwork plate, thread guides supported by the bracket, and a take-up element associated with the needle carrier actuating mechanism and movable into alignment with the thread guides.

18. The combination with stitching meehanism including a needle Carrier and actuating elements therefor operably supported on one side of the line of stitching7 of a presser- 'looh a needle or work plate, a carrier `for the presser-foot pivotally supported on the needle carrier side of the line oi stitching and including an arm extending in the direc tion of the line of stitching on the opposite side thereof from the needle carrier, a bracket extending above the line of stitching`I means supported by the bracket `for applying ay lyielding pressure against the arm to move the presser-foot toward the needle or Work plate, thread guides supported by the bracket, a take-up element associated With the needle carrier actuating mechanism and movable into alignment with the thread guides, and a shank Jfor the presser-foot pivoted to the arm whereby the presser-foot may be moved Jfrom its normal position to facilitate threading of the thread guides, take-up element and needle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. STEDMAN.

Witnesses:

G. WV. PARKER, F. E. ANDERSON. 

